Strip feed tension equalizer



C. A. FLOOD June 27, 1967 STRIP FEED TENSION EQUALIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1FLOATING GUIDE H 00 m m a I. 0 Wu A m a 1 i r m a 6 -5 i. llhw. Kb 9 a EM n a ,6 O 1 r; a w o 4 I 0 o I. a a0 a z 6 a? m z 1 r J 3 m7 m5 a :4,6w 4 w, w WN R u a Z 4 mm 0 M 3 Q b J .M r M 2 w 4 i 2. I J

TAKE-UP REEL Evil-f- June 27, 1967 c, FLOOD Re. 26,226

STRIP FEED TENSION EQUALIZEF:

Original Filed Dec. 20, 1962 2? Sheets-Sheet :1

United States Patent 26,226 STRIP FEED TENS 0N EQUALIZER Carl A. Flood,Framingham, Mass, by Dennison Manufacturing Company of Framingham, Mass,a corporation of Nevada, assignee Original No. 3,193,211, dated July 6,1965, Ser. No. 246,067, Dec. 20, 1962. Application for reissue June 14,1966, Ser. No. 563,936

Claims. (Cl. 24275.43) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprlnted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to apparatus having a feed reel and a take-upreel with an intermediate driver to drive the strip at a constant speedalong a predetermined path with a feed portion of the strip extendingfrom the feed reel to the driver and a take-up portion extending fromthe driver to the take-up reel, and particularly to apparatus in whichthe feeder comprises a sprocket wheel meshing with a sprocket hole inthe strip.

Objects of the invention are to equalize the tension on each side of thefeeder, to avoid slippage in the case of friction feeders. to avoiddamage to the sprocket holes in the case of sprocket feeders, andgenerally to improve the art of strip feeding.

According to the present invention the apparatus comprises a floatingstrip guide bearing on each of the aforesaid portions of the strip andhaving movement transversely of the aforesaid path in combination with ayielding interconnection between the strip guides for maintaining thetension substantially equal in the two portions. While the yieldinginterconnection may comprise a spring, preferably it comprises a pistonand cylinder. The apparatus should also comprise means controlled by theaforesaid strip guides to keep the guides floating. The latter meanspreferably comprises a feed regulator for varying the feed from the feedreel to the aforesaid feed portion and a take-up regulator for varyingthe feed from the take-up portion to the take-up reel, the regulatorsbeing controlled by the aforesaid movements of the strip guidesrespectively. Preferably the feed regulator comprises a friction brakeon the feed reel and the takc-up regulator comprises a friction clutchfor driving the takcup reel, but the regulators may comprise anysuitrble means such as variable speed motors for driving the reelsrespectively, the speed of the motors being governed by said movementsrespectively. Preferably each of the controllers includes a lever arm.and the interconnection is pneumatic and is between the lever arms.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of theapparatus;

FIG. la is a plan view of a label strip;

FIG. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of parts of the apparatus.

The invention is especially adapted to transfer labels from a strip tobottles. While any heattransfer label strip S may be employed, the stripis preferably made as disclosed in Patent 2,862,832 of Ridgley G.Shepherd, .lr., dated December 2, 1958, and as illustrated in FIG. 1awhere the label strip S comprises a paper backing having a marginal rowof sprocket holes H, the backing being coated with oxidized waxadhesively to hold the labels L printed on the wax coating with inkwhich is heat-activatable so that when a label is pressed against abottle or other article by means of a hot iron engaging Re. 26,226Reissued June 27, 1967 the back of the strip S the label is transferredfrom the strip to the article.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose ofillustration comprises a feed reel 1, a take-up reel 2 and a sprocketwheel 3 for feeding the label strip S from the feed reel to the take-upreel over rollers 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 and 14, the strip Shaving sprocket holes H and carrying labels L. Between the rolls 11 and12 is an applicator roll 16 which is mounted on a bracket 17 pivoted onshaft 18. The roll 16 is preferably covered with a resilient layer toaccommodate irregularities in the surface of the article to be labeled.For example the roll may be covered with a layer of soft silicone rubberhi thick. The applicator roll is moved back and forth between operativeand inoperative positions by means of a cam 19 driven by sprocket 19(FIG. 2) and a cam follower 21 on the arm 22 fast to the shaft 18, thecam follower 21 being held against the cam 19 by means of the usualspring (not shown). Bridging the two arms of the U-shaped bracket 17 isa rod 17' (FIG, 2) and fast to the shaft 18 is a U-shaped actuator 18'which straddles the rod 17' (FIG. 1). The applicator roll 16 issurrounded throughout most of its periphery by a heater 24 containing aheating coil which heats the periphery of the applicator roll byradiation. In traveling from roll 11 to the applicator roll 16 the stripbears against a surface on the heater 24 thereby to apply more heat toeach label just before it is applied. To heat the strip to apredetermined temperature, the longer the surface 15 lengthwise of saidpath the lower the temperature of the surface. Preferably thetemperature of heater 24 is higher than that of plates 58 and 59, forexample 450 F. When the roll 16 and heater 24 are retracted toinoperative position they disengage the strip S. Inasmuch as the surface15 and roll 16 engage the strip S only momentarily while a label isbeing applied, they may be heated to a temperature high enough to damagethe label strip if they contacted the strip while the strip isdecelerated between applications of successive labels as hereinafterdescribed, The applicator roll 16 is rotated by frictional engagementwith the strip S.

Opposite the applicator roll 16 is a turret 26 carrying a row of vials Von upstanding pins around the periphcry of the turret. The turret 26 isrotated step by step in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 by means ofa rack 28 actuated by reciprocating slide 29 as disclosed in mycopending application Ser. No. 141,476, filed September {29] 28, 1961,now Patent No. 3,208,897, and Ser. No. 246.066, filed on even dateherewith, now Patent No. 3,231,448.

At each of the three stations between the loading station 27 and theapplicator roll 16 (FIG. 1) is a gas-flame device 44 for heating thevials as they approach the applicator station in wellknown manner.Another such device 45 may be located between the applicator station andthe unloading station 7 to set the adhesive holding the labels on thevials. By preheating the vials the labels adhere quicker and better. Asdisclosed in the aforesaid application, the vial at the applicatorstation is rotated at the speed of the applicator roll so that there isno slippage betwcen vial and label strip as a label is being applied.

The strip-guide rollers 7 and 13 are mounted on a r carriage 51 which isreciprocated back and forth by slide 52 (FIG. 1). While a label is beingapplied by applicator 16 the carriage reciprocates to the right topermit the strip S to be pulled past the label-applying station at thesame speed as the peripheral velocity of the rotating vial so that alabel is transferred to the vial by the applicator roll 16. After thelabel is applied and while the next vial is being brought up to theapplicator station. the carriage reciprocates to the left so that thestrip is not advanced past the applicator station much if any. In thisway the labels L on the strip S may be placed close together as shown inFIG. la, the portion of the strip between rolls 7 and 13 pausing betweenapplications of successive labels to successive vials. The reciprocationof the slides 29 and 52 is controlled by earns 53 and 54 actuating camrollers 56 and 57 on the two slides, respectively as fully described inmy Patent 2,981,432, granted Apr. 25. 1961.

Between rollers 8 and 9 is an electrically heated plate 58 and betweenrollers 9 and 11 is another such plate 59, these plates serving to warmthe labels L on strip S before they reach the label-applying roller 16,thereby to facilitate the transfer of the labels to the vials. By makingthese plates slightly concave lengthwise of the strip path the strip iscaused to maintain close contact with the plates as it passes thereoverand by providing a roller at each end of each plate the drag on thestrip is minimized. By making the plates elongate heat may be applied tothe label strip throughout a considerable portion of the length of itspath without contacting the exposed surfaces of the labels while heated.The labels may be heated to 160-l80 F. for an indefinite time withoutdamage. Preheating the label strip not only facilitates adhesion to thevials but also prevents wrinkling of the strip between labels by theheated applicator roll.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 the means for equalizing the tension in thestrip S on opposite sides of the sprocket wheel 3, thereby to avoidtearing the sprocket holes, comprises the following mechanism. Bearingon the feed reel 1 is a brake 61 pivotally mounted on a shaft 62. Thebrake is pressed against the reel by a spring 63 acting on the brakethrough an arm 64 and an adjustable screw 66, the arm being pivotallymounted at 67. The spring is mounted on a link 68 which extends looselyinto the upper end of arm 64 and bears against an adjusting nut 69. Theother end of the link is pivotally connected to a pin 71 fast to arocker arm 72 which is fast to a shaft 73. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 theaxes of the pin 71 and shaft 73 are offset so that brake pressure isincreased when the arm 72 rocks clockwise and is decreased when it rockscounterclockwise. A pin 71 extending through a slot 75 in the rocker armlimits the movement of the arm. The aforesaid roller 5 is mounted on oneend of the rocker arm and the other end of the arm is pivotallyconnected to a piston rod 76 by a pin 77. The rod 76 is connected to apiston 78 in a cylinder 79 which is supplied with fluid under pressurethrough a conduit 81 and regulator R.

As shown in FIG. 3 the take-up reel 2 is driven by a sprocket wheel 82through a friction clutch comprising a driving part 83 and a driven part84 mounted on the take-up shaft 86 which is journaled in a bearing 87.The driven part 84 of the clutch is pinned to the shaft at 88 and thedriving part 83 is freely rotatable on the shaft. Part 83 is pressedagainst part 84 by an arm 89 pivotally mounted at 90. Arm 89 is actuatedby one end of a bellcrank 91 pivotally mounted at 92. The other end ofthe bell-crank is actuated by a spring 93 on a rod 94 which isreciprocated lengthwise by a pin 96 eccentrically fast to shaft 97 whichis journaled in bearings 98 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4). An arm 99 is mounted onthe end of shaft 97 and is pinned thereto as shown in FIG. 3. The stripguide 12 is mounted on one end of the arm 99 and the other end of thearm is connected with the cylinder 79 at 102. The end of roller 14extends through a slot 103 in arm 99 to limit the movement of the arm.

As the tension in the feed portion of the strip S between feed reel 1and sprocket wheel 3 starts to increase for any reason, the arm 72 isrotated counterclockwise (FIGS. 1 and 2) thereby moving piston 78 to theright. This further compresses the air in cylinder 79, therebyincreasing the tension in the take-up portion of the strip till tobalance the increase in the feed portion so as to avoid tearing thesprocket holes in the strip. Conversely if the tension in the take-upportion of the strip tends to increase, the tension in the feed portionis increased through the yielding interconnection of the piston andcylinder. Likewise if the tension in either portion starts to decrease,the tension in the other portion is automatically decreased.

In addition to this connterbalancing of tension, the arms 72 and 99 arekept floating by brake 61 and friction clutch 8384 so that the roller 14and pin 74 do not engage either end of their slots respectively (FIGS. 1and 4). For example, when the arm 72 moves counterclockwise in responseto momentary increase of tension in the feed portion, the lower end ofslot 75 moves toward the pin 74. but this counterclockwise movement ofthe arm relieves the brake 61 to prevent the end of the slot fromengaging the pin, thereby keeping the arm that ing. Likewise when thearm. moves clockwise in response to momentary decrease of tension thebarking effect is increased to keep the upper end of the slot fromengaging the pin. In the same manner movement of arm 99 varies thefriction in clutch 83-84 to prevent the ends of slot 103- from engagingthe roller 14, thereby keeping the arm floating.

The tension of the label strip between the sprocket wheel 3 and the feedreel 1 is determined by the amount of air pressure in the cylinder 79providing the arm 72 is not against the pin 74. initially the arm 72 isadjusted to midposition by adjusting the spring 63 so that when the arm72 is moved clockwise to the stop position the braking action is heavierthan will ever be required and when the arm is moved counterclockwise tothe other stop position the braking action is lighter than will ever berequired. Likewise the arm 99 is adjusted to midposition by adjustingspring 93. When the feed reel 1 is full the arm 72 swings to the exactposition that will cause the brake to counterbalance the strip tensionas determined by the air cylinder. As the feed reel is reduced in sizethe roll 5 moves counterclockwise to reduce the braking actionaccordingly. The same is true of the takeaip reel. By adjusting thedistances x and y (FIG. 4) relatively to each other for initial balancein tension on opposite sides of sprocket 3, the balance is automaticallymaintained notwithstanding variations in friction or other factorstending to unbalance the tension.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the rollers 5 and 12constitute the floating guides referred to above and in the claims, thatthe piston 78 and cylinder 79 constitute the yielding interconnectionreferred to above and in the claims and that the sprocket wheel 3constitutes the driver referred to in the claims.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

[1. ln a strip machine having a feed reel and a take-up reel with anintermediate driver to drive the strip at a constant speed along apredetermined path with a feed portion of the strip extending from thefeed reel to the driver and a take-up portion extending from the driverto the take-up reel, the combination of a floating strip guide bearingon each of said portions and having movement transversely of said path.and a yielding interconnection between said strip guides for maintainingthe tension substantially equal in said portions] 2. In a strip machinehaving a feed reel and a take-up reel with an intermediate driver todrive the strip at a constant speed along a predetermined path with afeed portion of the strip extending from the feed reel to the driver anda take-up portion extending from the driver to the take-up reel, afloating strip guide bearing on each of said portions and havingmovement transversely of said path, a yielding interconnection betweensaid strip guides for maintaining the tension substantially equal insaid portions, and means controlled by the movement of said strip guidesto keep said strip guides floating.

3. In a strip machine having a feed reel and a take-up reel with anintermediate driver to drive the strip at a constant speed along apredetermined path with a feed portion of the strip extending from thefeed reel to the driver and a take-up portion extending from the driverto the take-up reel, a floating feed guide bearing on said feed portion,a floating take-up guide bearing on said takeup portion, said guideshaving movement transversely of said path in response to tension in saidportions respectively, a yielding interconnection between said stripguides for maintaining the tensions substantially equal in saidportions, and means controlled by the movement of said guides to keepthe guides floating, said last means including a feed regulator forvarying the feed from the feed reel to the feed portion and a take-upregulator for varying the feed from the take-up portion to the take-upreet, and means responsive to said movements for controlling theregulators respectively.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the feed regulator comprises abrake for producing braking effect on the feed reel and the take-upregulator comprises a friction clutch for driving the take-up reel.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein each of said controllers includesa lever arm and said interconnection is between the lever arms.

6. The combination of claim 3 wherein said yielding interconnection ispneumatic.

References Cited The following references, cited by the Examiner, are ofrecord in the patented file of this patent or the original patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,654,800 1/1928 Garbutt 24255.14 1,733,83010/1929 Smith 2425514 1,759,712 5/1930 Richardson 156-495 1,944,0221/1934 Bundick et al 24255.14 2,462,558 2/1949 Scheuermann et al.24275.13 2,925,963 2/1960 De Gelleke 24275.43 2,964,255 12/1960 Harvey24255.11 3,079,979 3/1963 Flood 156-542 3,083,887 4/1963 Huck 24275.33,189,291 6/1965 Welsh 24255.125

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

N. L. MINTZ, Examiner.

